New Hi-Fi where to buy from?

[TommoAE86]

Hello All,

Sorry if this has been covered (I've gone back a few pages) but I'm looking at replacing my old Technics system with something smaller but I'm unsure what to do/get. I have always been exceptionally pleased with my technic's system and would rather keep it but it is falling apart and I've had it about 20years!



Budget for the new kit is around £500 but am saving for a second car so don't want to go overboard.

I have my computer/PS4 setup at the end of the back room so a corner desk with a space next to it with a couple of floating shelves. My idea was to have a single floor standing speaker with an amp on my desk/shelves linked to my tv.

Would this be something that could work? (I've seen the speakers are a pair) The reviews seem positive for this set, but don't mind going for another.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/dki/Q-Acoustics-2050i-F...

http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-16867-denon-dm40dab-cdd...

Thanks in advance.

[TommoAE86]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll have a move around of the end of the room to get two speakers in. Damn looks like I'm going to have to find another richer sounds, the one in Southampton is staffed by monkeys, only ever had condescending responses and filthy looks when I go in (I don't dress like a tramp and I can afford the items in there).

[TommoAE86]

Thanks all, due to the weekend stuff I couldn't go to another Richer Sounds so I gave Soton one last shot and the guy I spoke to was actually very good so I'll have to eat my words abit. He recommended a Cambridge Audio PAH013564 (the unit in here http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...) and if I wanted I could keep my current speakers seeing as they still work from my old technics system.

Will have abit more of a think including a rework of my space to see where I can put stuff and how to get the best sound from two speakers.

thanks all for the above advice

[TommoAE86]

This is the space I'd like to fill please excuse the mess I'm mid-tidying it all up, I'm happy with smaller speakers but I don't want to put them on my desk as there's no room. Another shelf can go on the wall on the left if required.

The advantage for me using my current speakers with the new amp/cd player is just because they fit quite nicely under my desk on the right side and are fairly powerful (360watt was the sales gumpf). However after speaking with RS I'd have to get an amp big enough to cope? Currently the ones I've been looking at are 100watt which the RS guy said was the max wattage the amp could give?

Red - all valid points and they were coming from a position of ignorance on my part, but I never said I wanted anything on my desk and the floorstanding one (I mentioned the links were a pair which isn't what I was originally going for) would go where the light currently is. Anyway floorstanding options have now been removed given the advice received already.

Now I'm leaning towards an amp/cd player like the Marantz one above (HerrSchnell's post) with my current 2 main speakers, however if it would get me better sound quality then I'm happy to ditch them for smaller speakers which could be positioned around where I sit.

[TommoAE86]

Red 5 said:

That whole 100watt speakers amp thing you quote is worrying too. A pair speakers have a safe input measured in watts.
To actually get a clean (how they measure them) 100watts, you might need a +400watt amp!

What make are these 100watt speakers? The numbers quoted on the back of speakers are largely irelevant to you as a buyer.
Better speakers will sound better, not ones with a higher number of wattts written on the back.
Size quality and sensitivity dictate volume, percieved and actual.

The bloke you were talking to either thought you were an idiot, or infact, might be one himself!

He probably did think I was an idiot given that I didn't really know what I was after and then just went full sales talk.
The basic jist of what I think he was trying to tell was that the rating was the max the amp could put out to a speaker. The speakers we were looking at in store were 100w and they were the ones in the link I put earlier: [rul]http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/mini-hi-fi-system-deals/pah013564[/url] so that is the max they could handle?

I'd rather not go for a sonos as what I'll be doing is swapping that PC monitor for a TV with a digital out because then I can use the speakers for both the PS4 and the PC, the amps mentioned so far have the inputs for this so seems like the ideal for the setup I'm trying to achieve.

The speakers you can see in the picture are the ones I was proposing to use and the only consideration for me is the quality and the size, I've been very pleased with that system and the sound quality has always been great but I'm happy to switch if I get a marked improvement in sound.

As you guys have just suggested getting a single good quality sound then maybe it's pointless in the small space I'm in and I should get an amp and then the good quality small speakers you guys have already suggested?

gizlaroc - I know I'm not coming across as intelligent but I won't be putting speakers on top of each other If I were to use my current ones then one would stay there and the other would move to my right under the desk vertically down from where the front of my PC is.

Edited by TommoAE86 on Thursday 23 March 12:12

[TommoAE86]

gizlaroc said:

Forget watts, just forget it, it is a number manufacturers stamp on kit that means nothing when it comes to speakers imho.

Have done, did the first bit of my reply before the suggestion to ignore.

gizlaroc said:

You can get a good sound, but you need to buy the right kit.
For that room get some compact desk speakers, small sub and a decent amp or some speakers with an amp built in.

But putting speakers under your desk will sound ste.

The Marantz amp I linked to is amazing for under £500 and it can be had for half that.

Sounds good, just been told about my bonus so can purchase them sooner rather than later

[TommoAE86]

From personal preference I don't like the look of the Denon one, but I do like the Marantz MCR611 and also this one has internet radio which is nice when I don't need sound (working etc)

What are people's opinions on the Marantz?

With the Q speakers you recommended
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...

Does anyone know about monitor audio speakers? My bonus is abit more than expected so could get these speakers and a sub
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...

Failing that I do like the look of the 6006, especially in silver!

Thank you for the replies all.